Six reasons why Wilkinson is England’s greatest rugby player

Eleven years after kicking England to glory in the dying seconds of the World Cup final in Sydney, fly-half Jonny Wilkinson is close to hanging up his boots for the last time.

No more crunching tackles, dashing half-breaks or funny poses as he approaches a neatly perched rugby ball to score yet another three-pointer.

One of the greatest and humblest exponents of the game will play his last competitive match in this country in the Heineken Cup final, lining up for Toulon against Saracens.

He plays his final game a week later, leaving the rugby world a little less well off, and perhaps wondering – what made him so great? Here are just a few reasons why.

Injuries

OK, not actually the injuries, but they tell the story: a man fearless and unwavering in his determination to destroy the opposition, but so driven to perfection that he pushed his body too far.

Just weeks after helping England win the World Cup, Wilkinson was struck down by a series of injuries to his groin, shoulder and even his kidney that all but removed him from the game for three years.

What should have been a triumphant period post-victory as England built on its success became a period of mental suffering for a man who strove to reach his full potential.

But the story didn’t end there, as it so easily could have done. His eventual recovery and re-emergence only showed the true strength of his will to succeed.

T-CUP

Perhaps an odd phrase to lead a rugby team to glory, but it was the key mantra used by Clive Woodward, England’s World Cup-winning coach, and was perhaps best embodied by Wilkinson in his pursuit of on-field dominance.

It stands for “Thinking Correctly Under Pressure”, and was meant to give players the freedom to perform in the moment by ensuring all the detailed thinking and preparation had taken place beforehand.

Something close to Wilkinson’s heart, given his tendency to stay on the training pitch kicking goals long after everyone else had packed their boots away, and which surely played a huge part in…

That kick

It’s extra time in the World Cup final and England are level on points with Australia.

Wilkinson has already missed three drop-kicks, but with only seconds left in the game the chance arises for another attempt as England’s forwards drive the ball closer to Australia’s line and scrum-half Matt Dawson wins a few crucial extra yards.

Wilkinson receives the ball and thumps it through the posts – with his right foot – giving England a winning lead and their place in history.

Just another training-ground kick taken under the most intense pressure imaginable. And not bad for a left-footer.

Tackling

As English rugby’s leading points scorer, Wilkinson is only outdone in the world rankings by his New Zealand counterpart Dan Carter.

But just as important to his game – if not not more so – was his willingness to throw his body into every tackle as if it was his last. That almost proved the case several times, in what became known as “stingers” when burning pain shot through his shoulder into his arm to leave lasting pain.

Wilkinson endured shoulder surgery more than once, but never shirked his tackling when he got back on the pitch.

Dedication

You can’t move for comments from Wilkinson’s former team-mates on his near obsession with getting his game perfect.

Will Greenwood, who played alongside him in the epic 2003 World Cup campaign, says Wilkinson “worked harder than anyone” to realise his potential, “even to the point that his own physical and mental wellbeing came into question”.

Scrum-half Matt Dawson, who passed Wilkinson the ball for that fateful drop-kick, says Wilkinson was “fastidious to the point of obsession – a selfless team man, driven by the need to deliver not for himself but for those around him”.

Wilkinson himself has admitted to his destabilising pursuit of perfection, which thankfully seemed to soften after his move to France and his new club Toulon, where he will soon close the book on his playing days.

Even so, a few months ago while most of us were tweeting links to “The World’s Best Cat Photos – Ever”, these were his chosen words: “Whoever you are, wherever you are playing, if you’re not busy striving to get better every day then what are you actually doing?”

He probably doesn’t think he’s the greatest

“Probably the most influential player in the English rugby game.”

That’s the verdict of England’s current coach, Stuart Lancaster, although you almost certainly wouldn’t hear Jonny Wilkinson himself say it.

His influence on England’s new generation of players is much touted, not least when it comes to the national team’s current fly-half Owen Farrell, who will play for Saracens against him in the Heineken Cup final.

Wilkinson is lauded as the game’s first true professional, joining the game two years after it moved on from amateur status, and is often seen as an unofficial ambassador for the sport and its ethos.

Ironically, for a man so focused on his rugby, his influence seems to stretch far beyond it.